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DNR confirms cougar sighting in the Upper Peninsula

May 2023 cougar sighting UP-2.jpg
May 2023 cougar sighting UP-1.jpg
Posted at 6:52 AM, Jun 01, 2023
and last updated 2023-06-01 13:37:42-04

The Michigan DNR said it has confirmed a cougar spotted in the Upper Peninsula last month, the latest in a series of cougar sightings over the past few years.

According to the DNR, it was spotted on May 14 in Luce County on private property through a trail cam. A biologist from the DNR's cougar team confirmed the sighting.

Since 2008, there have been 90 confirmed sightings in the U.P., and no reported incidents.

While the DNR website does not have data on cougar sightings from 2022, there were 12 confirmed sightings in 2021 and 13 confirmed sightings in 2020.

According to the DNR, there have been no reported cougar births in Michigan. All of the sightings have been male cougars, and they say in most cases they've researched, the cougars are males roaming from western states like Colorado or the Dakotas.